Loyola University Chicago School of Law Announces Creation of the Aréanah Preston Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship honors slain Chicago Police Officer and Loyola Law student who was dedicated to helping others

Loyola University Chicago School of Law announces the establishment of the  Aréanah Preston Memorial Scholarship, made possible through a generous gift from the family foundation established in her name, The Peace for Preston Foundation. The scholarship honors the legacy of  Aréanah Preston and reaffirms Loyola’s commitment to fostering equity, opportunity, and excellence in legal education.

The  Aréanah Preston Scholarship will provide financial support to Chicago police officers and civilian staff and students pursuing studies at the School of Law who demonstrate a commitment to public service, social justice, and community impact. The scholarship aims to empower talented law enforcement professionals to pursue legal education and meaningful careers in law and law enforcement.

“We are deeply grateful to the Peace for Preston Foundation for their vision and generosity,” said Dean Michèle Alexandre, Dean of Loyola University Chicago School of Law. “The Aréanah Preston Memorial Scholarship embodies the Jesuit principles of service and justice that are at the heart of our mission. As a police officer, Aréanah worked to build trust between police officers and the communities they served. At the School of Law, Aréanah was dedicated and determined. She deftly balanced her law coursework, her law enforcement career, and many other responsibilities. Classmates looked to Aréanah as a leader, and they remember her kindness, intellect, and commitment to service.  Aréanah was a person who fought for justice, and she made communities better.”

Preston was a Chicago Police Department (CPD) officer who served for more than two years in Chicago’s 5th Police District. She was deeply committed to justice, a passion ignited during a 2019 educational trip to Holocaust sites in Germany and Poland. This experience inspired her to join the police force, aiming to be a voice for the voiceless. 

In May of 2023, Officer Preston was fatally shot during a robbery attempt outside her home in the Avalon Park neighborhood. She had just completed her shift and was only days away from graduating with a Master in Jurisprudence degree from Loyola University School of Law. Loyola awarded her degree posthumously.

“This endowment will allow the legacy of  Aréanah Preston to live on forever,” said Charles Johnson, President of SodexoMagic and a board member of the Peace for Preston Foundation. “The endowment plants the seed to create the next generation of leaders that will bring equality, justice and peace to communities that need it most. The world will never forget Aréanah.”

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